Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume VIII, International Monetary and Trade Policy

257. Letter From Secretary of the Treasury Dillon to the Special Representative for Trade Negotiations (Herter)¹

Washington, October 30, 1964.

Dear Chris:

I am sending you herewith a copy of the proposed amendments to the Treasury regulations under the Antidumping Act,² which the Treasury expects to publish in the Federal Register on or about December 1.³ I am also enclosing a memorandum setting forth and analyzing the changes in these proposed amendments⁴ made in response to the comments submitted on the proposals as published in the Federal Register on April 23, 1964.⁵ This may be useful to your staff in identifying these changes.

The Treasury Department has carefully analyzed the comments submitted by all parties, and has a number of changes in those areas where the objections seemed valid. The amendments have not, however, been changed to reflect some of the most basic complaints registered both by the State Department and by foreign governments and importer groups, although the most careful consideration was given to their submissions. I am confident that as long as Treasury continues to administer the regulations fairly and impartially, particularly the part relating to confidential information, the fears expressed as to disastrous results will be proved groundless.

These amendments have been framed with a full awareness of the likelihood that in the Kennedy Round negotiations our Government will be faced with the charge that the new regulations are a protectionist move on the part of the United States. I do not feel that such a charge would be at all warranted. A number of important changes have been made favoring foreign interests and the importers which, incidentally, have been the subject of strenuous attack by domestic interests. The regulations as a whole are designed to improve administration of the Antidumping Act and reflect a careful effort to work out legitimate problems on both sides. If Treasury should be remiss in its obligation to improve these regulations, in my judgment the next session of Congress might well see the passage of restrictive legislation in this field which would be far more damaging to our international trading position than those parts of the proposed regulations which the foreign interests and importers now appear to find objectionable.

With best wishes,

Sincerely,

Douglas Dillon

1. Source: Kennedy Library, Herter Papers, Treasury Department, 8/1/64–10/30/64, Box 15. No classification marking. Received in Herter’s office on November 3.
2. Regarding the Antidumping Act, see footnote 3, Document 231. The proposed amendments are not attached.
3. Published on December 5, 1964. (29 Federal Register 16320)
4. The memorandum has not been found.
5. 29 Federal Register 5474.